Stem Cell Treatment for Congestive Heart Failure in Shelbyville, IN

Shortness of breath, localized swelling in legs, ankles and feet, loss of appetite, increased the need to urinate at night, difficulty concentrating, and sudden coughing, all innocent symptoms you've probably dismissed. However, if you're one of the countless Americans ignoring these symptoms you could be looking the other way on one of the most common silent killers: congestive heart failure.

What is Congestive Heart Failure?

Congestive heart failure is like sitting in traffic: it's slow, it's aggravating, and taking precious time off your life. As the name describes, congestive heart failure is exactly that: congestion. The heart loses its ability to pump blood, resulting in a congestion inside the heart and a back-up of red-blood cells. Congestion is caused by a thickening of the ventricle walls of the heart. Ever try and pick up a coin while wearing thick gloves? The effect is similar. You exert more effort than normal, and the task takes far longer. It's the same with congestive heart failure.

As a result, when blood can't travel freely through the body, oxygen can't reach our extremities and organs. The resulting symptoms can include:

Shortness of breath

Fatigue

Irregular Heartbeat (Arrhythmia)

Fluid retention

Nausea

Loss of appetite

Chest Pain

Fainting

Coughing with pink discharge

If you experience any of these symptoms, it's best to schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider or cardiologist. The last three, however—chest pain, fainting, and a sudden, persistent cough/wheeze with a foamy discharge—require immediate emergency medical attention. Any of these symptoms should not be ignored as congestive heart failure—if left unchecked—can eventually result in a heart attack.

Stem Cell Treatments for Congestive Heart Failure

Unfortunately, some of the damage done by this condition are irreversible. However, stem cell treatments are being developed as a method of prevention against congestive heart failure. Stem cells are a cell that can develop the function of any cell in the human body. Their medical applications have made them extremely valuable and (because they are often taken from human amniotic fluid) extremely controversial.

The use of stem cells (deployed either by injection or intravenously) in the coronary arteries is being researched as a potential treatment for heart failure. It is thought to help the heart heal itself, protecting itself from the silent killer that is congestive heart failure.